In Their 80s and Still Learning

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Last April I told you about our visit with “Tom and Dot,” who became so dear to us while we lived in Urbana, Illinois, from 1985 to 1993. I told you about their experiences overseas, their appreciation for art and God’s creation, their character traits of being interested and interesting, and how they honored their families,

Ray and I got a special blessing at the St. Louis convention a month ago, when a homeschooling mama — I’ll call her Jennifer — came to our booth. She told us that she was from Urbana and had heard that we had once lived there, too. Though we didn’t know this mama before, we were soon reminiscing and making connections, including connections with Tom and Dot.

With four whole days between our responsibilities at the Duluth and Indianapolis conventions held recently, we were able to spend a whole day in Urbana. Our first visit was with Tom and Dot. I didn’t ask Dot her age — you don’t do that to ladies, you know — but last year she showed me the chair her brother made for her when she turned 80. I’m pretty sure that the chair is several years old. I did, however, ask Tom how old he is. He’s 88.

Ray and I visited with Tom and Dot in their living room. I sat in the chair beside the fireplace, a chair my children remember fondly — and one that Jennifer remembered from her childhood, too. With no children there that day, I got to sit in it!

Tom and Dot were in the middle of having some home updates done; their front yard was a spectacular show of spring plants; and they were eagerly anticipating a trip to Bible lectures in California, along with their daughter and her husband and Dot’s sister and her husband.

In other words, in their eighties Tom and Dot were preparing for a 2,000 mile trip by plane in order to be with family and to learn. I admire them for it.

Give instruction to a wise man
and he will be still wiser,
Teach a righteous man
and he will increase his learning.
Proverbs 9:9

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